World Ocean Day 2023
By Sarah Ward
Living Seas Officer
Today, 8th June, is World Ocean Day – a day where people from around the globe join together to celebrate all things marine, and take time to remind ourselves of the pressures our global oceans face and the importance of protecting them. The theme for World Ocean Day this year is One Ocean, One Climate, One Future – Together.
Although Sussex Wildlife Trust acts locally, our seas and oceans are all intrinsically linked, meaning actions taken on a local level have knock-on effects to the wider marine ecosystem – and indeed the same is true vice versa.
Sussex Wildlife Trust’s marine team covers a fairly broad remit, so we thought we’d take the opportunity to celebrate and showcase some of the highlights!
Very broadly speaking, the work that we cover spans three principle (but overlapping!) fields:
- Policy & planning
- Ecology & evidence
- Public engagement & advocacy
We currently have two landmark projects running which are fantastic examples of how Sussex Wildlife Trust works in partnership with other organisations to achieve great things;
Wild Coast Sussex is working to inspire Sussex communities to care for the marine environment and enable them to protect their local coast and sea. Led by Sussex Wildlife Trust, this project is run in partnership with Marine Conservation Society, Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority and Brighton SEA LIFE, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The Sussex Kelp Recovery Project is a pioneering marine rewilding project, the aim of which is to restore almost 200 square kilometres of lost kelp forest along the coast of Sussex. The partnership is made up of seven cross-sector organisations, with each partner brings their own unique skills, experience and focus.
Sussex Wildlife Trust also runs its own citizen science programmes: Shoresearch, Seasearch and beach cleans. Harnessing ‘people power’, we use volunteers to undertake ecological surveys of the intertidal and subtidal environments, and monitor litter found on our local beaches.
More widely, we use our expertise to influence policy and development, working with decision-makers and industry to ensure environmental damage is minimised, and pushing for marine policy, legislation and guidance to protect our marine environment.
Want to get involved? Here’s how…
- Volunteer with us – we have various volunteering roles within our marine work suitable for complete novices to seasoned scuba divers
- Record your kelp sightings – we’re collecting data on kelp both in the sea and washed up on beaches
- Record your mermaids purse sightings – and be in with a chance of winning a £100 shopping voucher
- Join The Wildlife Trusts’ monthly Marine Newsletter